After installing your exterior cedar you have about a two week grace period until the wood starts to discolor.
How to treat cedar wood siding.
Inspect the flashing the seal between the roof and chimney for signs of water leakage or damage.
Apply it with a pump sprayerlet it sit for about 15 minutes before rinsing it off with with a garden hose.
Cover cedar siding with primer to keep any tannic acid or natural red coloring from.
The cedar bureau recommends using a solution of 1 part bleach to 3 parts water.
Your oiled siding will look so good that you won t believe you did it yourself.
After that the color will rapidly change from red to gray.
For smooth planed flat grained cedar some surface preparation may be desirable.
Likewise dirt or grime on the wood surface makes it impossible to get a good finish.
As soon as you run a piece of tape take a larger square of plastic sheathing covering the newly painted spot.
Along with protecting your cedar shingles against decay and other coastal contamination this treatment will also give them the weathered silvery gray look that many homeowners prefer.
Take a brush or roller applying the paint on the cedar surface approximately 6 x 6.
At this point you can apply a fresh coat of oil or oil stain.
Sand it to remove the loose surface particles.
Treatments for cedar siding maintenance some cedar siding shingles are treated with bleaching oil which is a treatment made with linseed oil and bleach crystals.
Inspect all caulking and repair or replace any that is damaged cracking peeling or missing.
Cleaning away the age is the first step in caring for cedar shingles.
Allowing it to dry as directed.
To protect the finish when it starts to look dull clean it with a homemade wood cleaner consisting of 1.
Spraying the cedar siding with water will make problem areas easier to see.
Look for any signs of mold.
If you do decide to color your wood there are several options.
Wash the wood first.
Then take a strip of masking tape taping across the newly painted surface.
This procedure will greatly increase the coatings performance but will not detract from a smooth finish.
The paint test on cedar is like this.
On flat grained wood the surface should be scuff sanded with 50 60 grit sandpaper.
Be sure to keep the hose pointed downward to avoid forcing water up behind the shingles.
With an oiled surface clean the wood with a pressure washer apply a coat of wood bleach let it stand per the manufacturer s instructions and pressure wash again.
If the wood is wet when you apply the coating it may not work well.
Surface preparation is not necessary for textured cedar.
Keep cedar looking its best by dusting with a soft cloth or vacuum cleaner brush as needed.